


Always Too Slow

by Pandora151



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Ahsoka Tano Needs a Hug, Angst, Blood and Injury, Character Death, Deathfic, Failed Rescue Mission, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:54:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25596088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandora151/pseuds/Pandora151
Summary: Anakin needed his help, and Obi-Wan would help him, because that was his responsibility—his promise.He would always help Anakin, no matter what.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 26
Kudos: 147





	Always Too Slow

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I originally wrote this for Whumpmas in 2018, and I decided to revamp it a bit and post it here.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> PS: this one's sad. Brace yourselves.

As soon as Obi-Wan ran into the cell and saw Anakin hanging limply from his bonds, he felt as though something had squeezed itself around his lungs, as though he couldn’t breathe.

“ _Anakin_ ,” he exhaled, taking a few steps closer.

This was the boy who had wriggled his way into his life after Qui-Gon’s death. The boy who kept him from drowning in his grief and responsibilities. Those early days were a dark blur now, the worst of it faded and blurred with the passage of time.

But there was always the memory of Anakin’s brightness keeping him afloat, especially in the beginning. That brightness was something Obi-Wan would never forget, no matter what.

Anakin kept him on his toes for all these years, even after the war started and Anakin was Knighted. Even after Anakin got a padawan of his own.

Said padawan was waiting by the ship. In hindsight, Obi-Wan was really glad he told Ahsoka to stay there. He didn’t know what seeing Anakin like this would do to her.

He could barely handle it himself.

Anakin’s face was nearly white, and his breaths were coming in short, pained gasps. His tunic was soaked with blood—some of it fresh, some of it dried. Obi-Wan could smell the blood and the infection, the distinct scent wafting throughout the cell.

Obi-Wan swallowed, struggling to ignore the intensity of the smell.

He could feel Anakin’s pain screaming out into the Force, lighting up their bond like a shock of lightning.

With a deep breath, Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber and quickly cut Anakin’s bonds away.

Anakin let out a hitched breath before he dropped to the ground. Obi-Wan barely managed to catch him, knees almost buckling under Anakin’s weight.

Anakin mumbled incoherently, then he coughed.

There was blood on his lips, running down his chin. His chest rose and fall rapidly, as though he was struggling to get air into his lungs.

The Force suddenly felt _cold_ around Anakin.

He needed a healer or a medic, _now_.

Fumbling for his commlink, Obi-Wan managed to send a desperate message to the medics before he shifted Anakin carefully into his arms and stumbled out of the cell.

Anakin was heavy, but Obi-Wan pressed onwards, undeterred.

He would not fail. He’d already failed so many times before; he could not allow it to happen again, especially to Anakin.

Anakin’s blood was staining his tunics. Anakin’s breaths were even more pained with each movement, and Obi-Wan whispered quiet apologies every time Anakin moaned in his unconsciousness.

Obi-Wan eventually lost track of time, trying desperately to get back to the ship where his men and Ahsoka were waiting.

The medics would help him, and then Anakin would wake up and he would be alright.

It would take time, but Anakin would heal.

After losing Qui-Gon, after losing Satine, Obi-Wan would not lose Anakin, especially not like this.

With that thought, Obi-Wan focused on placing one foot in front of the other, determined to get Anakin to safety. Anakin was heavy in his arms, but he continued moving forward, undeterred.

The Force shivered and cried as he walked, pressing desperately onto his shields, but he pushed the feeling away. 

There was no time for this. Anakin needed his help, and Obi-Wan would help him, because that was his responsibility—his _promise_.

He would always help Anakin, no matter what.

By the time Obi-Wan reached his men, Anakin was still, cold, and heavy in his arms.

Obi-Wan lowered him carefully to the ground, expecting the medics to bring a stretcher over so that Anakin could be taken back to the ship.

That didn’t happen.

Anakin didn’t move, not even to breathe.

“Let me _through_!”

Ahsoka.

She stumbled past Rex and Cody, eyes bright with tears.

“Master!” she shouted, dropping to her knees next to Anakin, placing her hands on his shoulders. She shook him gently, and Obi-Wan was sure that the sudden movement would bring Anakin back into awareness, but—

Anakin didn’t move.

Obi-Wan stared at him, waiting for Anakin to move, to open his eyes, to say or do _something_.

He didn’t.

Ahsoka let out a sob, burying her head onto Anakin’s bloodied chest.

Obi-Wan turned, spotting the line of clones standing a few feet away. The medics stood unmoving next to Rex and Cody, heads bowed.

“Why...” Obi-Wan cleared his throat, not remembering when it got so dry. “Why aren’t you helping him?” he asked them.

Ahsoka’s head snapped up, as though she only just realized that Obi-Wan was still standing there. There was a patch of blood staining her forehead and right montral—Anakin’s blood.

There was pain in her eyes. Pain that he recognized, that he saw in his own eyes after Qui-Gon...

Obi-Wan shook his head, pushing the thought desperately out into the Force.

“Master Kenobi...” Ahsoka whispered. Her face was wet, tears spilling easily from her eyes.

Oh.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath.

“He needs help,” he heard himself say. Obi-Wan looked at Cody, at Rex, at the medics standing next to them. He could see the rest of the men standing behind them, frozen.

Ahsoka trembled and let out a quiet sob, scrubbing her hands over her eyes.

The Force was screaming, shattered from loss.

There was a burning pain in his mind, similar to what he felt right after Qui-Gon’s death. He remembered the Healers telling him it was because of his Force bond with Qui-Gon shattering with Qui-Gon’s death.

Obi-Wan’s body went cold.

Anakin wasn’t _moving_.

“I’ll help him,” he whispered, but his voice cracked, probably falling on deaf ears.

Obi-Wan took two stumbling steps forward and fell on his knees next to Anakin, opposite to Ahsoka. He placed his hands over Anakin’s chest, waiting to feel the heartbeat under his palms.

It didn’t.

“Anakin?” Obi-Wan whispered. “Anakin, wake up.”

Anakin didn’t.

Ahsoka let out another louder sob, covering her face with both hands.

“Ahsoka needs you, Anakin,” Obi-Wan continued, voice trembling. “And I do, too. And Padmé. And your men. We all need you.”

“Stop it.”

Ahsoka was looking at him now, eyes wide.

“He’s _dead_ , Master. Don’t do this to yourself,” she continued.

“No, he’s just—” Obi-Wan felt some sort of strange emotion rising in his chest. He pushed it down and away, almost violently. “Sleeping. Unconscious.”

“Sir, she’s right,” Cody said softly, taking a few steps closer to them. “I’m sorry.”

Obi-Wan shook his head. The movement _hurt_. He felt like he couldn’t breathe, like he was drowning.

Anakin wasn’t moving. He wasn’t breathing. The Force felt broken, shattered, in his mind.

“I... _oh_ ,” Obi-Wan breathed. “Oh, Force.” His voice cracked as he bowed his head, shuddering.

He felt hands wrapping around his shoulders, felt Ahsoka press her head onto his shoulder as she sobbed again.

Anakin was dead. Obi-Wan failed him. In doing so, Obi-Wan failed Qui-Gon, unable to fulfill his dying wish.

And now the Force was shattered, because of him.

Because he was too slow, always too slow.

“I’m sorry,” Obi-Wan whispered. “I’m so, so sorry.”

**Author's Note:**

> ...Well, I mean, I _did_ say it was sad, right?
> 
> Anyways, thanks for reading, and please leave a comment on your way out! :)


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